


Laughter Lines

by Mischiefy



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Death, Hurt No Comfort, Immortality Issues (Shadowhunter Chronicles), Inspired by Bastille (Band), Laughter Lines, M/M, No Happy Ending Fest, No happy ending!, Post-Alec Lightwood's Death, Sacrifice, Sad, Sad Ending, Shall I say it again?, consider yourself warned, no happy ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-24
Updated: 2020-03-24
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:22:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23295448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mischiefy/pseuds/Mischiefy
Summary: He was resting, his face pale, almost feverish- but underneath the illness, he was almost like I remembered him.Almost- because he had actually changed. Not in the way mortals do over the years, no, because immortals age in a much subtler way.But I could detect little differences, laughter lines that hadn’t been there when I’d last seen him- proof that he’d laughed, and smiled, and hopefully loved.Or- After a long time, Alec is finally sent to collect Magnus' soul.
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Magnus Bane/Original Male Character(s)
Comments: 21
Kudos: 73





	Laughter Lines

**Author's Note:**

> Fair warning, in case you didn't read the tags- this is sad. It has NO happy ending, alright? So if you are already having a shitty day, please skip this story.  
> That said- this is the alternate ending to my series "Who wants to live forever". I haven't added this to it just because this ended up being a little AU.  
> -Unbeta'd-

It was exactly Three Thousand, Two hundred and Sixty years after my death when I finally got Magnus’ name, scribbled down neatly at the very bottom of my list.

It disappointed me a bit, to be honest- I’d hoped Magnus would live to meet _the end_. The real one.

But alas, it wasn’t meant to be- and even Magnus Bane had reached the end of his very, very long life.

“I have to take him, too?” I whispered quietly to the Heavens, looking up from my spot over the top of the tallest skyscraper in all of Dubai.

_Why were they doing this to me? Wasn’t it enough what they’d forced me to do? Collecting souls ‘till the end of time?_

“You should go, Alexander Gideon” James had appeared as silently as he ever did, his voice mild, unassuming.

I turned to look at him, all messy hair and blue eyes. He was damned, just like me.

James had been my anchor, my rock through all of this. And, without false modesty, I knew I’d been his.

A shade of doubt clouded his handsome face for a moment.

“If you want to. If you don’t…” he trailed off, unsure, and I knew what he was going to say. He was going to do it in my stead.

But I _wanted_ to see Magnus again- and, most importantly, he deserved to be taken away by someone who loved him, someone who cared.

I _owed_ him that kind of strength.

“I’ll do it”

With slow steps, I approached Magnus’ new house- It was a far cry from the apartment we’d once shared.

This one felt way more comfortable, unpolished. Different.

I paused on the doorstep for a moment. I was gasping for air, choking on it, and my stomach was tied in a tight, uncomfortable knot.

_Magnus_. I was going to see _Magnus_.

Would he even remember me, after all this time? I didn’t know- but I hoped so.

I closed my eyes for the fraction of a second, clenching my fists.

This wasn’t about me, no. This was about _Magnus_. And I was only there to take him away, to absolve my duty.

I didn’t bother knocking. I never did.

Magnus was in the living room, lying down on a reclined chair.

He was resting, his face pale, almost feverish- but underneath the illness, he was almost like I remembered him.

_Almost_ \- because he _had_ actually changed. Not in the way mortals do over the years, no, because immortals age in a much subtler way.

But I could detect little _differences_ , laughter lines that hadn’t been there when I’d last seen him- proof that he’d laughed, and smiled, and _hopefully_ loved.

I let my eyes wander around the room, lingering on the photos hanging from the walls.

There were many with Max and another handsome man- some with me, too, and with Cat and Tessa.

He _had_ remarried, then, I realized, noticing the little band on his right hand.

I couldn’t wait to hear the tales of his adventures, all the places he’d visited, all the people he’d met.

A little tear slid down my cheek, and I finally gathered the courage to step closer to him.

_He was still so beautiful… My husband. Oh, God._

Cat eyes blinked, then immediately focused on me and got two times wider.

“Alexander” he gasped- and I ignored with all of my stubbornness the horrible, excruciating pain I felt at hearing him call me this way, after so many years.

I needed to be strong- for him.

I took one of his hands between mine.

“Magnus”

His cracked lips opened up in a gentle smile.

“Are you here to take me away?” he inquired, his voice like sandpaper.

“I’m sorry” I apologized.

Magnus shook weakly his head “Don’t. I lived a happy, long life, Alexander, I’m _ready_ ”

I blinked back the tears “Have you _really_ been happy?” I asked then, because I needed to be certain, I wanted to know. I wanted him to tell me. It was all that mattered to me.

There were tears in his eyes, too, now.

“I have” he admitted “It- it hasn’t been easy, though. After you were gone- I wasn’t happy for a long, long while, Alexander. And then Elijah came along, and- he made it all easier. He made me happy again” He was hesitant as he said the last bit.

I smiled, hiding my heartbreak from his prying eyes. I’d always known mine would never be a happy ending- and I’d long since accepted it. Magnus didn’t need to shoulder my pain, too.

“I’m glad,” I said instead. “I’ve always wanted that for you.”

And that was the honest truth. Upon my death- all I’d wanted was to be able to meet Magnus again, sometime in the future, and realize that he’d been happy, that the rest of his life without me had been just as magnificent.

Knowing that it _had_ been, that he’d been loved and had loved back- it made such a difference for me.

It meant all my sacrifices, my punishment, my years of despair spent gathering souls- all of this, it was worth it.

I could spend the rest of my sentence in peace.

At my words, Magnus smiled a little, fond “I never forgot you, you know. I’ve kept you safe, in my heart. All these years. You were my saving grace, Alexander”

I closed briefly my eyes at his words. They cut like knives- and I could feel myself bleeding out, but I didn’t care.

“So” Magnus went on in the face of my silence “What now? What will happen to me?”

I cleared my throat, forcing back the tears.

“You’ll go on,” I said simply.

“Will you come with me?” he asked with a slight smile.

I shook my head ruefully “I can’t. But I’m sure Rafa and Jace and the others are all waiting for you on the other side.” I smiled encouragingly. He really had nothing to be afraid of.

But Magnus looked taken aback.

“You won’t be there?”

I sighed “I won’t, no”

“How come?”

I hesitated, picking carefully my next words “I- well, there’s something else I have to do before joining you. Some sort of duty.”

Now- that was one _fascinating_ way to put it.

Magnus frowned, his weak, slender fingers playing lightly with mine.

“But you _will_ join me, right?”

“Yes” in eons, probably. _The end_ was still far, far away.

I didn’t tell him that, though. I couldn’t bear to say it out loud.

Magnus sighed, accepting my answer.

“Where’s Elijah?” I asked him then “I could give you a couple of hours, if you want to say goodbye- to him, Max or anybody else…”

“He’s out with Blueberry. They’re at Cat’s, I believe.” I smiled, even though it was the last thing I wanted to do. That _man_ \- Elijah- he’d taken everything away from me. My husband. My son. _Everything_.

“And no- I don’t need more time. I’m _ready_ , Alexander.”

And he was, I could see it in his eyes.

I savored my last moment with him- it would be a long time before we would be able to meet again.

“Say hi to Jace, Izzy, and Rafa for me, if you can. Tell them I love them” I whispered quietly, a small, sad smile on my face.

Magnus looked up at me in alarm “What-”

“Don’t worry” I cut him off gently “It was all worth it.”

He looked like he wanted to ask more, but knew it would be pointless.

“Are you ready?” I forced a grin on my lips.

“As ready as I’ll ever be” he quipped.

“Then close your eyes. It’ll be easier than falling asleep*.”

I pressed my deathly cold lips over his forehead- and Magnus Bane was no more.

His soul blinked at me, bright and majestic and _pure,_ and I had just the time for a whispered “ _I love you_ ” before it was brought on.

I stood and stared for a moment longer, shaking all over.

I’d been punished because I’d prevented my lover’s fated death, because I’d thwarted destiny. Magnus had kept on living, but I’d been damned to bring death to others until the end of time.

I didn’t care. It had been worth it.

*This is what Sirius tells Harry when he asks whether dying hurts. Cheers to JK Rowling for that.

**Author's Note:**

> So- did you like it? :)  
> Feel free to complain in the comments, I'm looking forward to it ;)  
> I'm already working on something a little more lighthearted, by the way, just to lift my mood a bit. I can't stand all the sadness.
> 
> P.S. The idea for this one came from Bastille's song "Laughter Lines", go listen to it if you haven't already.


End file.
